-5- 'Thank You Australia'

Hollah to the patriotic (can you use that on people other than americans?) Australians down under. I'd like to thank them specifically for placing their national anthem at the end of each and every hymn book. Makes sense right? I mean why should America be the only country with theirs included? Those smart Australians fixed that problem lickety-split and copied and pasted their own right in.

Australians all let us rejoice
For we are young and free
We've golden soil and wealth for toil,
Our home is girt by sea:
Our land abounds in nature's gifts
Of beauty rich and rare,
In history's page let every stage
Advance Australia fair,
In joyful strains then let us sing
Advance Australia fair.

Beneath our radiant Southern Cross,
We'll toil with hearts and hands,
To make this Commonwealth of ours
Renowned of all the lands,
For those who've come across the seas
We've boundless plains to share,
With courage let us all combine
To advance Australia fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing,
Advance Australia fair.

Yes that, is indeed in the back of every hymn book here in Australia and yes indeed, we do sing it in sacrament meeting...

...and so to you, Australia, today I say,

Thank You.

the Bennallack basics

…Life…

just keeps plugging along here down under:

*Phil and I celebrated our first Easter together and my first Australian Easter. The easter bunny seems to bring a lot better chocolate here in Australia! It was fun to actually experience an 'easter weekend' with Good Friday and all. It's a big deal round here. Mom P. sent some goodies from America and I LOVED IT! (Phil did too but not quite as much as me I'm sure!) It felt like I got a touch of home. Mom sent us new shirts for easter as well. Thanks mom!

~ Phil & I in our new shirts ~

*I got a new job at church offices as a receptionist and love every minute of it.

*We buzzed Phil's hair. He was sick of having to 'do' it every morning so we 'buzzed' it to a #4 a couple nights ago. So far, so good.

*I helped in Nursery this Sunday and got to make this cute craft with the kids.

*On a non-eventful note, we finished our puzzle today. 1000 pieces in 2 days. Holidays make great puzzle time! Okay, so maybe we are nerds but that's ok!

...and that's the Bennallack basics for now.

Dad B's 50th Birthday

On April 6th, Dad B. turned the big 5-0. We all gathered at the in laws for party to honor him. Brother-in-law, Matt made a movie that honored Dad B. and Sister-in-law Jo gave him a book where many people contributed to compile our favorite things and memories about Dad B. We gave him some homemade american lemonade and a mixture of his favorite candies.

After the party had died down, Tony (my nephew) and I found a magnetic darts game up in auntie Rachael's room and made it probably a lot more fun than any darts game is ever meant to be. Carter (my other nephew) came over when he heard Tony and I laughing because he wanted in on the fun. All I did was stick our three darts together and we each pulled the edge one and who-ever got two instead of one dart, won. Tony and Carter laughed every time we pulled them apart. It was so cute! Here's a video that Phil got at the end of our fun but Tarts was so cute and laughing so hard right before.

It was fun to have a family get-together before the in-laws moved to NZ the next week. Tony, Carter and I definitely got our share of good times!

~ Tony & I and our game ~

Royal Easter Show

About two weeks ago I got to go to the famous Royal Easter Show here at the Sydney Olympic Park.  Phil was so excited to show me the ropes.  We got to go with Mum & Dad B and Rachael and met up with Alyce and Eric later on in the day.  I got to see show bags, watch a psycho side show and view some epic pig racing.  It was a fun day and it ended with an amazing fireworks show.  It was fun to actually see what I'd been hearing about for so long.

~Pig Racing~

~Olympic Park~        

-4- 'Thank You Australia'

Oh blessed day in Australia when I do no have to leave one of 
my favorite shows back in the US of A.  So You Think You Can Dance Australia has been keeping me going since I moved here in Feb.  I do miss some of the choreographers and judges from the US show but they always make guest appearances (Tyce last week!) on the Australian show.  Although I miss a lot of the choreographers from the US show, there is definitely one person that does not make my missing list.  Her name is Cat Deeley.  Bless her heart, that woman is just annoying.  Thanks to Australia, she is NOT the host here!  WOOT!  Instead we have the perfectly normal and great host, 
Natalie Bassingthwaighte (check out that last name!)  

She is great and I get to enjoy one of the best shows without an annoying host...

...and so to you, Australia, today I say, 

Thank You.

Conference

Today I wrapped up watching my first international General Conference.  Yup we got it here a week later than all you Utah folks!  Spent all 8 joyous hours in the chapel.  It was great.  It was definitely an adjustment from watching it home but it was still good.  


There were hardly any people there on Saturday for the sessions.  They played the AM session at 1:15pm and then the PM following a 15 min intermission (3:30pm).  There were literally only a handful of people there.  The next day at the Sunday morning session the Chapel was full and the overflow was just about there too.  After the AM session at 10am, we had a nice picnic lunch outside with a few other dedicated members who were sticking around for the PM session.  It was fun to be able to eat in between sessions out on the stake center's lawn.  We had yummy deli sandwiches and fruit and chips.  Then we went in for the final session at 1pm and finished at 3pm!  It was such a good conference and I really learned a lot.  I did miss watching it at home and really learned that I took it for granted all those years.  I look up to those parents who sit with their children through 2 hours of conference in the chapel and really look up to those who were there for even more than one session with their children.  
I loved conference and was so glad to be able to see a bit of home here down under!

-3- 'Thank You Australia'

Thanks can always be given to Australia when its' food makes me say "mmmmm yum!" 

Remember how when we were little we used to sing that song:

    ♪♫    Hot cross buns,

Hot cross buns,

one ha' penny,

two ha' penny,

                                                                hot cross buns.    ♪♫

Yes mam, I used to sing that in elementary school and never know what a hot cross bun even was.  I thought they were something from too long ago to remember. 

NEWS FLASH: They exist now and are really yummy!

They are all over Australia during Easter and everyone eats lots of them for the easter holidays.  I've had so many!

This beaut pictured here is a chocolate chip one and it was       tasty!...             

...and so to you, Australia, today I say, 

Thank You.